​O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” Now I was cupbearer to the king.

Nehemiah 1:11

We have all heard the lesson that fearing God’s name means respecting or honoring God. To hold Him in awe. But how many of us delight to fear His name? How many of us take joy in doing this? We may respect God or honor Him in an intellectual way, much like we respect or honor someone in a position of authority. But those that take delight in fearing God are those who have moved from an intellectual, distant respect to those who do so with a willing, happy heart. They are those who know God’s character on a personal level. For them delighting in fearing His name is both behavioral and actionable. It is not born out of a sense of distant obligation,  much like we are forced to say, “Yes, your honor” when we are in court. Rather, it is the joy of diving into the ocean of God’s character and exploring the depths of who He is, like a scuba diver surrounded by such vast danger, beauty, and excitement that he never wants to ascend. This is immersive and overwhelming. This is the joy of a deep and abiding love. Help us all, Lord, to love you in this way. Empower us to delight in fearing your name. Amen.